Label-applying machine



P. D. PARSONS LABEL A'PPLYING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1925 Jam,

Patented Jan. 26, 1926.v

UNITED STATES rari-:Nr ori-ien PHLP D. PARSONS, OF SNARTHMGRE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR `TSCOTL PAPER COMPANY, A CORPORATEON OF PENNSYLVANIA.

LABEL-APPLYING MACHINE;

Application filed September 24, 1925.

use in machines for conveying packages and simultaneously applying labels thereto,` of the general character set out in my application for Letters Patentw Serial No. 738,364, filed September 18, 1924, the object of which is to label or band the packages while conveying them from their places of production to their place'of collection and discharge,

enabling the product of a plurality of package producing machines to be conveyed to a single mechanism for vautomatically applying the labels or bands in. a speedy and reficient manner during their conveyance to said place of collection and discharge.

The improvements, constituting the invention of the present application, relate more specifically to band or label applying means and comprising` a conveyor having lateral pins upon which the rolls of toilet paper in package form are loosely hung and moved over paste and label applying means, whereby the packages each pick up the forward end of a label (in band form), wrap itself within the label and secure the saine in position as an enclosing band or wrapper.

The improvements upon which the novelty of the invention are predicated are fully described hereinafter and more particularly defined in the claims. Referring to the drawings i Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of a conveyor and band applying means forming my invention;

FigzQ is a side elevation of the same; andv Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the label applying means shown in Fig.2.` y

The conveyor guideway comprises two parallel bars 2, 2, spaced apart to provide a longitudinal guide passage 3. The conveyor proper consists of a link belt formed of the side links 4 and 8 hinged together at 9 and having rollers 5 spaced along their length intermediate the jointed or hingedl portions, said rollers guided in the guideway 3 between the parallel bars 2, 2. The link portions 8 are made of largearea and are each provided with a laterally extending pin 6 upon which the paper rolls are hung Serial No. 58,279.

during their conveyance and banding, said pins extending between the link portions of tliexbelt conveyor and acting as journals for the rollers 5. The hinge pins 9 and rollers 5 travel through the guide space 3 between the guide bars 2, 2, aforesaid, and driven by suitable sprocket wlieels (not shown). The pins 6 project at rightangles to the plane of the faces of Vthe links 8, vso. thatthe paper rolls 7, when vhung on the pins and forced back against the said links 8, will have their ends and genera-l shape and position trued immediately before being banded. The particular means shown for pressing the paper rolls 7 against the faces of the links 8, consists of a vertical roller l1 journaled on an upright pin l2, said pin carried by a hinged arm 13 moved under the influence of a spring lt to apply pressure to the end of the paper rolls insuccession as they are moved past the rollerkll by the conveyor and .its pins 6. v n I Vfhile they roller 11 primarily. positions the rolls 7 upon thepins 6, said rolls must be maintained in such position during the banding operation and to secure this result I employ a horizontal guide bar 2O having spring tingersQl pressing against the rolls as they areconveyed past them. The bar 2O has lateral screws 22 extending through apertures in supporting frame parts 23 and in which they are vadjustable by nuts 24. By this capacity for adjustment, the pressure upon the rolls may be made Vto suit the re quirements. v y

The paper rolls 6 maybe of any ordinary construction, being usually wound uponA a soft .cardboard tubular core having a' diameter suitable for receiving a dispensing holder. The holes or apertures through the rolls are `considerably `larger than the diameter.y of the pins 6v of the conveyor, so that when, they are placed upon the pins, as they travel past the roll making machines (not shown), the rolls hang loosely with' freedom to being rotated.

I will now describe the label applying or banding devices 27 is a label container, in which the labels 26 are stacked horizontally and pressed upwardly by a supporting plate 28 attached to the upper end of an adjustable rod 29, said rod being normally moved upward by a lever35 fulcrumed on the label container-frame 27 and counterweighted at.

36, said lever having a gear-,'34 which llt) through the train gears 33 and 31, operates the rack 30 on the rod 29 to lift the latter. These gears 33 and 31 are journalled at 32 on the container frame 27 and are secured to and rotate with an escapement clutch wheel 37. Normally, the counter-weighted lever 35 tends to raise the plate 28 and labels 26 thereon against a hold-down bar 57 and against the rolls 7 passing above the labels, but is controlled in this action by the escapement wheel 37 and the control clutch 39 thereof, which latter is intermittently operated. This clutch 39 is pivoted on a hinged arm 38 fulcrumed on the axis of the gears 31, 33 and wheel 37, and is yieldingly suspended by a spring 41. The arm 38 is provided with a spring 40 which normally tends to oscillate the clutch 39 out of locking engagement with the wheel 37. This clutch is oscillated in opposition to the spring 40, by a vertical rod 42 which is intermittently forced downward by a cam 43 carried by and revolving with shaft 44a, said shaft receiving its rotation by gears 44 and 45 from driving shaft 46. When the cam 43 strikes the rod 42, the rod is depressed and with it the clutch 39 and frame 38. This movement of the parts enumerated, slightly rotates the wheel 37 counter-clockwise, and thereby causes the counter-weighted lever 35 to rise and the plate 28 to be lowered for an instant so as to remove the upward pressure at the moment a label should be relea;r ed from the container and to which reference will be made later. The operation of the cam 43 is preferably timed to come into action with the passage of each pin 6 for the rolls of paper, as a label or band must be released for each roll as it passes from above the container 27, to the left (Fig. 2). That the purpose of the upward pressure and its momentary release will be better understood, reference is made to Fig. 3, from which it will be seen that the labels or bands 26 are pressed upward against a transverse hold-down bar 57 so that the rolling up of the topmost label upon the advancing paper roll 7 will notl displace it until just before the completion of the wrapping and final pasting operation. The result of this is that the label or band is snugly wrapped about the roll and properly positioned thereon. rlhe time for releasing the label has almost arrived in Fig. 3 and occurs when the roll has advanced upon the hinged end 53 of the table 55, which it depresses against the action of a light spring 56. The depression of the hinged end 53 of the table causes the guide wheels 50 and paste applying band 49 to apply paste upon the upper surface of the end edge of the label and as the depression of the pressure plate 23 takes place at this moment, the pressure of the label against the hold-down bar 57 is removed and the pasted end is withdrawn from under the bar and rolled into contact with the other end of the label which is already pasted upon the roll. By reason of the momentary removal of the pressure, the label is withdrawn from under the bar without materially removing the paste.

Referring now to the several means for applying paste to the roll 6 and to the label,

the following features are to be especially noted: As the rolls 7 are conveyed by the pins 6 from right to left, in Fig. 2, they will pass under a brush 65 and over and in contact with a revolving roller 10 with the' result thatthe rolls are rotated and the loose ends of the webs thereof are fully wrapped in place before reaching the label applying position. The vertical roller 11 then presses the rolls in succession back against the plates 9 of the conveyor and they are retained in this position upon the pins 6 by the pressure plates 21 before referred to, but are at all times free to rotate. During this time, the rolls are being moved by the conveyor along a table 15 over which they roll.

lhile the pins 6 of the conveyor forcibly move the rolls 7 forward, the friction of the said rolls where they contact with the horizontal table 15 cause said rolls to rotate while traveling over the table, the table, therefore, constituting means for causing the rolls to rotate about the pins 6 of the conveyor while being propelled along the machine by the travelling movement ofthe conveyor. The table is provided with three apertures 16 through which slightly project the perimeters of paste applying discs 17 and in contact with which the paper rolls are caused to travel. ln this manner, paste is applied to the roll at a portion of its circumference which is to be occupied by the label or band. As the rolls 7 are moved forward toward the container 27, they roll over the table 15 and the distance is such that the pasted portions of the roll attach themselves to the left hand ends of the labels or bands (Fig. 2) when they roll upon them. To prevent any interference with the applied paste before contacting with the labels, I slot the end ofthe table 15 next to the container, as shown at 25 1). The paste applying discs 17 are secured to a shaft 19 loosely journaled in the paste boX 18; and said shaft and discs may be intermittently rotated by a modified Geneva gear as follows: The shaft 19 is secured to a gear 64 and driven from a gear 62 through an intermediate pinion 63. The gear 62 is secured to a shaft and has upon the side of its face curved recesses to form a pointed star wheel 60. As the conveyor chain moves along the guides 2, 2, the hub portions 61 thereof in alinement with the pins 6 successively engage the curved recesses and impart to the star wheel 60 an intermittent movement,

which is, in turn, transmitted to the paste applyingk discs '17. Any other suitable means maybe employed for rotating the discs,l if so desired 1 f From Fig. 2 it will be seen that labels are being applied to three rolls at the same time and there is capacity for two or three rolls in contact with the labels in the container at all times', but it is manifest that if no roll is upon a pin 6, the latter will pass over the label container without effect, so that' in the normal operation of the apparatus there may be times when one, two, three or no rolls will be in contact with the labels. The machine, therefore, adapts itself to conditions and is largely automatic in its application of the labels. The contacting of the rolls with the labels 26 during their forward movement by the pins 6 of the conveyor causes the rolls to continue their rotation about said pins after they leave the table 15.

The paste applying band 49 is stretched about driving wheel 4S and two guide wheels 50, the latter carried with the hinged part 53,0f the table 55 and causing the moving band to travel transversely over the edge of the uppermost label in the container. This band 49 travels over and in contact with a paste applying roll 51 arranged in a paste pot 52 and said roll 51 may be positively rotated by a sprocket chain and wheels 51a, as shown, or in any other suitable manner. The driving wheel 48 for the paste api plying band may be driven from a power shaft 46 by mitre gears 47; and the cam shaft 44 having the cam 43 may be driven from said driving shaft 46 by spur gear 45 thereon `and pinion 44 on the cam shaft, as before stated, the speed of the latter being timed to make the cam active with the passage of each pin 6 of the conveyor for reasons already explained.

By use of the traveling paste applying band 49, the paste is definitely applied across the label at or near its rear edge and because of the rubbing action of the band, the paste is applied uniformly and little paste is necessary, the result of which is a better and cleaner seam.

I have shown brushes 66 above the space through which the rolls are caused to travel during and immediately following the label applying operation, said brushes operating to wipe or press the labels into smooth contact with the rolls as they rotate while traveling beneath the said brushes.

In Fig. 2, it will be seen that three rolls are in the act of applying separate labels to themselves as they roll along, the positions of the forward and rearward rolls in relation to the labels being such that the former is just completing the operation of wrapping itself in a label while the latter is just picking up the label end of another .of` the other rolls.

ping operations are capable of going onA dling by label in the beginning of the wrapping operation; and in the case of the middle roll, it has applied another label to itself to an vextent intermediate of the conditions The plurality of wrapat the same instant with different rolls and labels and without any interference one with the other, hence the wrapping capacity of the machine is very great.

It will be evident that there is no hanattendants of the rolls from.v the time they are placed on the pins 6L of the conveyor to the time the'labeled rolls are completed and ready: for delivery,

will also be seen that the operation of banding the rolls is automatic vand rapid and, therefore, efficient. It is further to be noted that as all the rolls are labeled under precisely the saine conditions, they are all alike and as perfect in form and appearance as is consistently possible to be secured by an automatic machine.

lVhen I have referred to paste, I include glue and all characters of adhesive material suitable to the purpose.

lhile I have described my invention more particularly in applying labels to the rolls,

it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to applying bands-having no printed matter on them. Therefore, when I refer to labels .or to bands, they are to be taken as synonyms so far as the invention is concerned. p l

It will new be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and while I have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found inl practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the details7 as the same are susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A machine of the character stated, comprising a traveling conveyor having lateral pins at intervals along its length adapted for carrying in suspension rolls of paper to be wrapped with encircling bands, combined with means for applying 'said bands consisting of devices for causing the rolls to rotate about the pins while being conveyed by the conveyor, a container or maga- Zine for the bands, ahold-down bar, means for normally moving the bands upward against the hold-down bar, means for applying paste to the edge of the uppermost label adjacent tor the hold-down bar, and

means for automatically removing the presconsequently the cost for labor is a minimum. It y ico sure from the bands7 said means operative intermittently and synchronously with the passage of each pin for the rolls whereby the bands are released from the container and holddo-.vn bar after having been applied to the rolls.

2. The invention according to claim l, wherein further, the means for normally moving` the hands upwardly consists of plate and gravity actuated means continually tending to raise it, and the means for removing the pressure of the hands against the hel( -down bar comprising cam actuated devices for depressing the plate.

3. rllhe invention according to claim l1 wherein further the means for normally moving the bands upward against the hold-- down har consists of a counter-weighted level mechanism havingl an escapement means for coupling the weighted lever mechanism with the means for normally moving the bands upward, and -ani means for actuating the escapement means to lock it and lower the band moving means to release the bands from the hold-down bar.

fl. The invention according to claim l, wherein further, the means for applyino' the paste comprises an endless hand, guiding .vheels therefore whereby it travels approxiinntely in a horizontal direction, means for applying paste to said band, and a hinged end frame to which two of the guide wheels are secured and by which they and a portion of the paste applying band are raised and lowered relatively to the hold-down bar.

5. The invention according to claim l, wherein further, the means for applying the paste comprises an endless band7 guiding wheels therefor whereby it travels approximately in a horizontal direction, means for applying paste to said band, and a hinged end frame to which two of the guide wheels are secured and by which they and a portion of the paste applying band are raised and lowered relatively to the hold-down bar,'and also having a spring to raise the hinged end :"rame and paste applying band in alineinent with the path of the pins and rolls thereon whereby the banded rolls successively depress the framev and paste applying band for applying paste to the end of the upperhand before it is withdrawn by the roll. he invention according` to claim l,

further, a rotating roller is provide(` over lwhich the paper rolls are revolved on the pins prior to having the labels applied. whereby the loose web ends of the rolls are wound up.

rllhe invention according to claim '1, wherein further, a table structure is provided along which the pins roll the paper rolls and having a side guide bar with spring fingers laterally projecting to hold the rolls against the conveyor, and in which the bar is adjustably supported for positioning it nearer to or farther from the conveyor.

8. rlhe invention according to claim l, wherein further, a table structure is provided along which the pins roll the paper rolls, raid table provided with apertures at a distance from the band container or maga zine approximately equal to the circumfer- -ice of the rolls, and means for applying paste to the rolls consisting of paste applying dises whose perimeters extend slightly through the apertures of the table, a paste box therefor, and means for rotating the discs operated by the conveyor whereby the discs are given an intermittent rotation with the passage of each roll carrying pin.

ln testimony of which invention, l hereunto set my hand.

lJHlLlP D. PARSONS. 

